Gateway Theatre

My concern is the possible if not likely impact on the programming at the Gateway, especially since Frank Theatres likes to portray themselves as family oriented. I hope it does mean the eventual end showings of art and independent films there.

According to the Sunrise Cinemas website, the Gateway is now managed by Frank Theatres and the theater information is now on the Frank Theatres website: http://www.franktheatres.com/Home.aspx

Can someone help with the location of this Village Cinema. It operated from 1968 to 1978 and closed as a triplex.

View photo

Here is a June 2004 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/93y4bk

Oops. Local chain Sunrise Cinemas (formerly known as Dreier Theaters) acquired this theater in the late 80s/early 90s, before, beginning in 2000, it began buying out a host of other South Florida cinemas that had been abandoned by their respective operators (Regal’s Las Olas multiplex, and GCC’s Deerfield 8, Fountains 8, Galleria 4, and Intracoastal 8, and AMC Mizner Park). They bit off more than they can chew and they’re now, like a lot of businesses that briefly thrived several years ago, in dire straits.

The Gateway, my favorite theater in Broward, gets more run-down by the year. Problems like aperture shadow have become very prevalent, and as with most exhibitors, particularly Sunrise Cinemas, the Gateway is home to a revolving door of managers, each less equipped to, say, address a simple problem like aperture shadow than the previous one. As of this post, the Gateway has been playing exclusively films in wide release, as Sunrise Cinemas seems to be slowly relinquishing their reputation for programming “Independent, Fine Art, & Foreign” films, with 99% of their screens currently running Hollywood fare. What bodes even worse for this chain’s future is that long-time “marketing director” Joel Thom (about whom I’d say more, except this site’s Comment Policy forbids anything resembling “personal attacks”) has been relieved of his relationship with the company.

Right now, the variety and state of motion picture exhibition in South Florida is pretty decrepit (like many of our movie theaters), and Sunrise Cinemas couldn’t embody this any better.

A picture of this theater may be found with an accompanying article from 1951 here:
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The Gateway was one of the flagships of the Wometco chain in the 50’s and 60’s and, as Ft. Lauderdale’s most luxurious theatre, it often played exclusive runs and roadshow engagements. Many first-run films were brought to Miami and the Gateway just after their Manhattan premieres in order to catch the snowbirds on vacation.

It was often dated with the prestigious Carib on Miami Beach.

Thanx fella’s. I thought it was the original movie. Wasn’t aware of ‘Inside Deep Throat’.

“Inside Deep Throat” (the “Inside” is blurred on the photo, but it’s there) was among the NC-17/unrated exclusives that are a Gateway specialty (along with occasional fare for the local gay/lesbian community). With the closure of the neighboring Galleria Cinemas, more mainstream Hollywood movies appeared more frequently at the Gateway this past summer, although they still maintain a steady diet of indies.

Beneath the all-too-1970s wall treatments, some auditoriums at the Gateway still have an architecturally creative touch from its early years: curved walls, originally meant to suggest ocean waves. This theme also continued in, of all places, the curved (and narrow) entrances to the restrooms (proceed slowly)…

One of the few theatres in South Florida where the audiences put their various realities on hold, and become involved with the films (I’ve never had to change seats to get away from talkers). Another nice touch: the “comment pillar” in the lobby, where patrons are invited to jot down quick comments on index cards (most frequent warning of subpar entertainment: “Bring a pillow!”)

A few photos can be found at http://www.swankpad.org/places/ftlaud/ftlaud.htm

I found the following from THE MIAMI HERALD dated Sunday, March 7, 1954. The column is titled “Broadway in Broward” and one of the items is a write-up of the Gateway Theater:

Miller Film is Hit

“The Glenn Miller movie was the Gateway Theater’s all-time box office hit. It played to 28,313 people in 13 days. Manager Keith Hendee’s figures show. Bigger than "The Robe”…Viewers of a certain pre-war age bracket who were reared on records like “In the Mood” and and “Tuxedo Junction” took it much to heart, were slightly astonished to realize that several sets of teenagers have come and gone without knowing Miller music. Only criticism [of the movie]: The dates were switched around."

The theater opened in 1950 and was run by Wometco. It is currently run by Sunrise cinemas. It is one of my favorite theaters. They have all pictures and posters in the lobby. They also had the world premiere of Where The Boys Are in 1960.